Steve Jobs’ dream yacht impounded over unpaid design bills

In 2007, Steve Jobs started working with French designer Phillippe Starck on plans for a superyacht. Jobs passed away before he had a chance to use the boat, dubbed Venus. Now, a lawyer representing Starck’s company has said the designer has only received 6 million euros out of the 9 million euros that he was owed on commission. As a result, the yacht was impounded on Wednesday night and will remain at its current location in an Amsterdam port until the rest of the money is received.

“The project has been going on since 2007 and there had been a lot of detailed talk between Jobs and Starck,” Roelant Klaassen, the lawyer for Starck’s firm, told Reuters. “These guys trusted each other, so there wasn’t a very detailed contract.” The legal counsel for Jobs’ estate was not available for comment.

The yacht was finished and unveiled to Jobs’ family in the Netherlands in late October. The vessel was designed with a minimalist, streamlined aesthetic, just as you’d imagine an aquatic Apple product to be. The ship is 80 meters long, and has several 27-inch iMacs installed on the deck. Jobs also consulted with the chief engineer for Apple stores and asked him to create special glass that could be used for structural support.

According to Jobs’ biography by Walter Isaacson, the creation of this superyacht was a project near and dear to Jobs. Even when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Jobs continued working on the boat’s design. It’s uncertain what will happen to the vessel once the dispute over Starck’s commission is resolved.